


One tastes like fire, the other tastes like Home

by writingramblr



Series: At World's End/On Stranger Tides  AU collection [2]
Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Genre: F/M, Fluffy oneshot, Lots of drinking, Resolved UST, continuation of my OST AU, implied eventual triad, in need of a ship oneshot, or something like that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-28
Updated: 2013-11-28
Packaged: 2018-01-02 20:45:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1061432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingramblr/pseuds/writingramblr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Taking place a year or so after the events of "In Need Of A Ship," Elizabeth finds herself torn between two very different men. When they finally decide to act on their feelings, she's caught between a pirate and a fallen nobleman.<br/>Not the worst place to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One tastes like fire, the other tastes like Home

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted this to be an all out smutfest, but honestly, it just didn't happen that way. It's fluffy warm fuzzies. To keep you warm on a cold night.

Elizabeth caught him staring at her over his half empty bottle of rum, firelight giving his eyes an otherworldly glow.

“What is it Jack?”

He shrugged, before stroking his mustache, and looking down at the fire, avoiding her knowing smile.

“I nearly lost you to the Locker last year. I never got to tell you why I needed to fight your old boy Will.”

Elizabeth cocked a golden brow at her former best mate,

“Well, you’ve plenty of time now. Why did you need to fight Will?”

Jack glanced around conspiratorially, but Norrington was nowhere to be seen, back on the Empress, most likely keeping watch from the crow’s nest.

“I fell in love with you Lizzie. I’m as lost now as I was then. Why else have I been following your ship around? Not because I like being in an armada. I like being with you. I like fighting by your side.”

Elizabeth fell back against the sand, the cool soft dampness of it chilling her sun burnt skin.

She took a deep gulp of rum to delay having to respond.

The truth was, she had known almost as long as she’d known James loved her.

The problem truly was with her. What could have made two men-who she’d practically killed single handedly-decide they cared for her?

The world was a strange place.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news Jack, but that’s not exactly something you’ve kept very secret.”

She gave him a sympathetic grin, and watched as his eyebrows rose nearly into his red bandanna.

“Is that so? Well then love, why didn’t you tell me you knew?”

Elizabeth shrugged, and took another pull on her bottle of rum,

“I guess I was hoping you’d be a man and come around and admit it.”

Jack grinned, his gold teeth shiny enough to make her squint,

“You’re right. I took way too long. I should have told you while I thought you were dying in me arms.”

Elizabeth laughed,

“Even then James would have had you beat. He practically confessed like a sinner at church that he was glad you had been kidnapped. That way he was free to love me without guilt.”

Jack frowned, and nearly missed the bottle as he took a swig,

“That scalawag loves you? How dare he. I will challenge him to a duel first thing tomorrow.”

Elizabeth shook her head, albeit slowly and with a bit of a headache following the movement.

“Please don’t. I want to kiss him once more at least. Just to see what it’s like since he’s not about to die this time. I’m curious. You know how seductive that can be.”

Jack made his way over to her side, sloshing his nearly empty rum bottle all over the sand,

“You better not. I get to kiss those lips first. Oh bugger. I’m out of rum.”

He glanced at her bottle greedily, and she handed it over without protest,

“I had no idea. You want to kiss James before I do? That’s alright with me. As long as I can watch.”

She gave him a smirk so un-Lizzie-like that he actually dropped the bottle.

He didn’t even notice as the last of the rum poured out onto the beach.

“Hold it there a moment Lizzie. I said no such thing. I said I get to kiss _those_ lips first.”

He nudged her face with his hand, gently swaying against her, like the sea was rocking them on his ship.

On land however, she had the control.

“Be more specific next time Jack. You tease a girl too much and she’s likely to explode.”

Elizabeth gazed into his eyes, black as pitch, and just before hers fell shut, he leaned in to meet her halfway.

Their lips met and meshed together in a wet sloppy kiss.

They were both exceedingly drunk, but Jack didn’t protest, and Elizabeth didn’t find anything she disliked.

 

It was much better than her stormy kiss with Will had been, and even better than when she’d been intent on leaving Jack to die at the hands…er tentacles of the Kraken.

 

“Oh my mister Norrington, you have a lot to compare to.” Elizabeth mumbled against Jack’s lips, and he fought back a knowing smile.

Her new first mate had nothing on him.

***

“Don’t think I wasn’t watching you.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she stumbled back on board the Empress.

“You don’t say.”

“It was for your protection. As you are my captain, it was my duty.”

Elizabeth was preparing to shove her first mate out of her way, but she realized too late how tipsy she was, and how sober and strong he was. He didn’t budge.

“Your duty? I didn’t hire you to be a spy.”

Norrington remained firm,

“I wasn’t spying captain. I was looking out for you.”

Elizabeth poked a finger into his chest, his much too solid muscular chest.

“Did you get your rocks off sufficiently? Will you let me past now? Or shall I suffer another lecture from my first mate? Who by the way is not irreplaceable?”

James nodded, and moved out of her path,

“I will not ever dare to lecture you Elizabeth. Only warn you of the danger of getting involved with a scoundrel like Jack Sparrow.”

Elizabeth scoffed,

“I am now pirate king because of him. Do you not think I trust him? He saved my life, twice.”

James shrugged,

“Perhaps he only considered it fair. Recompense for you killing him. Oh wait a moment, that’s wrong isn’t it? It seems you owe him forth fold now. What happens when he decides it’s time to settle your account?”

Elizabeth stalked back towards him, anger seething through her veins,

“What did you say to me? Settle my account? I have no outstanding debts. And Jack Sparrow is not my banker. Why don’t you say what you really want to? You’re jealous.”

James was not a man easily taken to anger, but seeing how Elizabeth was acting, constantly defending Sparrow, it made him begin to see red.

“I’m jealous. Yes. You’re right. Because after all I’ve done for you, you choose someone who could be gone at a moment’s thought to give yourself to. Instead of someone who’s never left your side, even when you thought me dead. I would do anything for you Elizabeth. Why won’t you let me?”

Elizabeth felt all the anger drain from her as she watched him, helpless and desperate. She was clinging to her captainship, and her alcohol induced strength.

The momentary joy she had experienced with Jack was not fleeting, nor far from her mind, but seeing James like this was doing strange things to her. She wanted to go to him, to stay in his embrace, to beg him to forgive her for being so stubborn and blind, but she found she could not move a single step.

Luckily for her, James was a perceptive man.

He came to her.

His strong arms enveloped her and she could only melt into his embrace.

He smelled like the salt of the sea air, and of fresh linen like home.

He had given up drink after Tortuga, and smelled nothing like the typical rum soaked pirate.

He was her first mate. Not just some pirate.

He was _hers._

When she looked up at him to beg his forgiveness, he saw she had begun crying, and wouldn’t have that.

He captured her lips in a gentle kiss, and never pressed hard, or asked too much.

It was what their first kiss should have been.

Not hurried, not rushed, and not urgent.

They had all the time in the world.

***

Gibbs walked by where Jack was looking intently through his telescope, in the direction of the Empress, and he tapped on his captain’s shoulder.

“Maybe you could give your king a bit of privacy eh Jack?”

He lowered the spyglass and shrugged,

“Gibbs, you know I have to keep an eye on her for her own protection right?”

The man in question rolled his eyes, and turned away, before walking down the deck,

“If you insist Captain.”

Jack grumbled in annoyance,

“Of course I bloody do. I’m Captain Jack Sparrow.”

***


End file.
